Dutch prosecutors have detailed a horrific case of an alleged honour killing, where a teenage girl was murdered by her own family for embracing what they deemed a 'Western lifestyle'. The victim, 18-year-old Ryan Al Najjar, was reportedly drowned by her father and brothers after conflicts over her refusal to wear a headscarf and her use of social media.
The Gruesome Discovery and Family Betrayal
The body of Ryan Al Najjar was discovered on May 28, 2024, six days after she disappeared from the family home in Joure, in the northern Netherlands. According to the NL Times, she was found gagged, bound with tape, and submerged in a marsh. Prosecutors believe she was killed just after midnight on May 22, 2024.
Her brothers, Mohamed Al Najjar, 23, and Muhanad Al Najjar, 25, have been formally charged with her murder. Their father, Khaled Al Najjar, 53, is accused of orchestrating and taking part in the killing before escaping to Syria. Khaled's DNA was found under his daughter's fingernails, placing him at the scene.
A Planned Attack Over Lifestyle Choices
The motive for the brutal act, as presented by prosecutors, was the family's shame over Ryan's behaviour. They believed her 'Western behaviour' was dishonouring the family. This included her choice not to wear a headscarf, her associations with males, and her activity on social media platforms.
On the night before the murder, Ryan's brothers picked her up from a house in Rotterdam and drove her to a remote location to meet their father. "What must she have feared. In the middle of the night, in complete darkness, in a completely isolated place," a prosecutor was quoted as saying.
Legal Proceedings and a Father's Flight
In a statement on Friday, November 28, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service (PPS) condemned Khaled's actions. "[Khaled] fled to Syria immediately after the murder and left his sons to take the blame. Cowardly," they wrote. They added that Khaled has 'completely destroyed his family'.
Despite Khaled allegedly sending emails to Dutch media confessing to the crime while claiming his sons were innocent, intercepted chat messages reportedly show the brothers' active involvement. "Khaled was the driving force, but without his sons, Ryan would not have been there at all," prosecutors stated.
The two brothers each face up to 20 years in prison. Their father, who will be tried in absentia, could receive a 25-year sentence. Defence lawyers were scheduled to speak in court on Monday, December 1. A verdict in this harrowing case is expected on January 5, 2026.
